The 21-minute video by French artist Xavier de Richemont, which chronicles the history of the region in image and sound, is set to debut June 13. It will be projected on the historic façade three times a night, four nights a week: at 9 p.m., 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The HDRC approved the project with the stipulation that the schedule wouldn't change without further commission approval.

The piece covers more than 18,000 years of history, from indigenous peoples to the present, said Eduardo García of the Main Plaza Conservancy, which is spearheading the project with the support of the Archdiocese of San Antonio.

“The artist worked with local historians and academics to develop a story visually that encompasses the history of San Antonio,” he said. “The piece is really a celebration of San Antonio.”

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De Richemont has created some 30 video installations at sites all over the world, including Chartres Cathedral in France and cathedrals in Puebla and Oaxaca, Mexico. He mixes music, lyrics, narration and colorful graphics in slow motion, then projects the work on historic structures.

The project calls for the installation of projectors, a light pole and speakers in Main Plaza.

“You are putting it on a very historic structure,” Commissioner Harry Shafer said. “It's a light show, and on this historic building is inappropriate and maybe even sacrilegious.”

Commissioner Jack Judson echoed Shafer's dissent: “Find another place for it. I don't think San Fernando Cathedral is the place for it.”

García argued that de Richemont's work has been “very well-received” in other cities.

“People begin to gather before it comes on, and they bring their friends and families,” he said. “And nearby businesses report that it is an economic generator.”

Commissioner Michael Connor pointed out that the video projection “will be noninvasive and totally reversible.”

“San Fernando Cathedral will not be damaged by this,” he said.

In other business, the HDRC debated a new location for a B-cycle station in the master plan for a renovated Travis Park and ultimately denied the bike-sharing operation access to the busy corner of Travis and Jefferson.

Concerns included the size of the footprint for the 18-bike station, a more detailed rendering of the site and the integrity of the park.

“This is a grand, 19th-century piece of landscape architecture,” said Connor, who added that the bike station would “clutter up” what was meant to be a “green oasis in an urban setting.”

B-cycle can remain in its original location at Travis and Navarro or come back at the next HDRC meeting with another plan.